Are you sure that we are awake? It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream.
~ William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

June 23 and 24 are Midsummer’s Eve and Midsummer’s Day, celebrated across the Nordic countries. Each country has its own spin on the celebration, but the bones are largely the same. My mother is from Norway, so I generally keep to the Norwegian traditions.

In Norway, Sankthansaften, or Midsummer’s Eve, and Midsummer’s Day are celebrated on June 23 and 24. It began centuries ago as a pagan celebration of the sun and a time to pray to the fertility gods Freya and Freyr for an abundant harvest. The summer solstice was seen as a time of powerful magic when the life force of the earth and nature was at its strongest, and the supernatural powers of herbs and flowers were at their most magical.

Flowers and their mystical, magical properties were a central part of the celebration and, through the centuries, have been used as decorations and in magic rituals during the festivities. Wildflowers would be gathered to adorn tables and homes and woven into crowns that women would wear in their hair.

Thinking about Midsummer this year reminded me of a bit of folklore my mother shared with me years ago. On the 23rd of June, unmarried women would gather seven different types of wildflowers and place them beneath their pillows at night. The magic was that they would dream of their future husband. The gathering of the flowers had to be done in complete silence—if you broke the silence, you would break the magic. If you also managed to cross over seven fences while gathering the flowers, all the better, as this supposedly strengthened the magic of the ritual.

My aunt told me of another love ritual performed on Midsummer’s Eve in which an unmarried woman would walk backward to a well in complete silence, look into the water, and see the image of her future husband reflected there. My aunt and my mother once actually convinced me to perform this ritual, but said they would have to come with me to make sure I didn’t walk backward too far and fall into the well. In hindsight, that was probably a good idea—I’m known to be a bit clumsy sometimes.

Sadly, I didn’t see anyone reflected in the water but myself. I tried the flower ritual too and dreamed of… a TV and movie actor. Spoiler alert… I didn’t marry him. Or even meet him.

Centuries ago, Midsummer’s Eve was believed to be the time when the veil between the earthbound world and the spirit world was at its thinnest. Huge bonfires were lit to ward off evil spirits and trolls, and magical rituals involving plants were performed.

Today, Midsummer’s Eve and Midsummer’s Day are still celebrated in Norway and throughout the Nordic countries with barbecues, bonfires, food, music, and plenty of flowers. Making flower crowns and wearing them during the festivities remains a popular tradition, along with gathering seven wildflowers in hopes of bringing sweet dreams of a future love.

This year, for the first time, I decided to try making a flower crown for Midsummer using the wildflowers growing around my yard. I know—how very cottage-core of me. I’m one of those “accidentally cottage-core” people. I just kind of go about my business, pursuing my quirky little interests, and suddenly find out that I’m actually doing something trendy.

But I digress.

My flower crown turned out pretty well for a first attempt! I’m quite proud of it. Now I can add that to my list of skills alongside making homemade yogurt, blackberry mead, and sourdough bread. Apparently, I’m fond of fermenting things.

Whether you believe in the magic of plants and the solstice or not, take the time to enjoy these long, warm summer days. Stroll through green forests, lounge in the soft light of the golden hour, catch lightning bugs, and maybe gather wildflowers to stash under your pillow and see who you may dream of.

Happy Midsummer!

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.
~ William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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